STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1818

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1046

H.D. 2

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1046, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATIONAL HEALTH SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Replace the term "school health aides" with "school health assistants" to reflect recent changes to the job title; and

(2) Authorize the administration of medication to public school students by school health assistants with the approval of a health care professional within the Department of Education, the Department of Health, or a health care service pursuant to a written agreement with the Department of Education.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Department of Education, University of Hawai‘i System, Hawai‘i State Center for Nursing, and Epilepsy Foundation of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that under existing law, all medication administered by school health assistants in Hawaii public schools must be reviewed and approved by the Department of Health. Many public schools currently have a registered nurse, advanced practice registered nurse, or other specialized health care provider on campus through written agreements with the Department of Education. However, existing law prevents these health care professionals who are already on campus from performing the function of medication administration approval. This measure authorizes these health care professionals to approve medication administered by school health assistants to promote efficient, accessible, and safe health care for public school students.

Your Committee acknowledges concerns raised in testimony that school health assistants should also be able to administer certain medications to treat anaphylaxis, asthma, and seizure disorders. Therefore, amendments to this measure are necessary to address these concerns.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by specifying that nasal and other premeasured medication, including but not limited to auto-injectable epinephrine for anaphylaxis, bronchodilators for asthma, and seizure rescue medication for seizure disorders, may be administered by school health assistants.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1046, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1046, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection,

________________________________

JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair